Adopt a dog: A turning point for Piper

After learning that her beloved rescue puppy is suffering from severe hip dysplasia – Gracia Amico, CEO of PetsPyjamas, shares details on the decision to have Piper’s hip replaced to ensure she leads a full and happy life, in her fourth blog instalment.

When we found out only a month after rescuing Piper that she had severe hip dysplasia, we were devastated. It was obvious that only at eight months she was suffering from this crippling condition – finding it hard to get up in the morning and hopping like a rabbit when trying to run. Despite having only had her for such a short time, both Anthony and I were totally taken and committed to this beautiful, affectionate and enthusiastic pup. There was no way we were going to take her back to the rescue home.

So, where to go from here?

Thankfully I had the best possible advice available from Dick White Referrals. We are very lucky to have a personal relationship with Dick who set up a groundbreaking veterinary clinic existing of a team of exceptional specialists. We took our time with Dick and his hip expert surgeon to talk through the options for Piper and came to the conclusion that the only viable road for Piper was a total hip replacement.

In order to do so we had to wait a few months to ensure her bones were harder and that she was ready for this major surgery. The positive message in all this was that the prognosis is really very good for this kind of operation and that there is a 95% chance on living a completely normal life. As Piper is a running dog by nature, to us this seemed the clincher as we simply want her to have a very happy and full life.

Last Sunday we dropped Piper off and I waited nervously on Monday for the call from the surgeon to give me feedback. After a five hour operation I finally received the call and despite there being some complications, the operation had gone well. During the whole week, we received two calls a day with updates on Piper’s progress and by Friday we were told she was ready to come home, having even wagged her tail that day!

It is now Tuesday and Piper has truly settled back in at home. She seemed really happy to be with us again and to cuddle up in her bed. She is struggling with the notion she is not allowed upstairs and in protest has already chewed through a gate we installed for her. However, it is great to see her cheeky side come back out again and to notice her putting more weight on her leg on a daily basis.

The next two months are going to be crucial for her full recovery. We will be watching her closely and we will keep you informed on her progress.